Search Operation, Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh
27 Jan 2009
A further search by police on Tuesday 27th January into claims by a terrorist group that a Rocket Propelled Grenade warhead was lying abandoned near Newtownbutler in County Fermanagh has proved negative.
On December 19th, the Real IRA claimed to have fired a rocket at police on patrol near the village 48 hours earlier. Police immediately warned people to be careful, and carried out a search operation. Nothing was found.
On January 20th, the terrorist organisation made further claims that a device remained in the area.
Following the latest search, Chief Superintendent Michael Skuce, the police commander for F District, said once again the lives of members of the community had been put at risk: "Let us be clear: these are not just attacks on police officers, they place the lives of every man, woman and child in the area at risk.
"It is always difficult to be sure of the veracity of claims such as this. However, as a service committed to public safety and security, we have to take them seriously.
"Those who operate under various flags of convenience are simply terrorists and criminals. They are totally reckless in their disregard for their neighbours and for people living in the other parts of the county where they seek to mount their attacks.
"It is unfortunate that the lives of local people were inconvenienced while the searches were going on, but the blame for that lies squarely with those who claimed to have carried out the attack in the first place.
"They showed no regard for the lives of anyone, be it police officers or local people. They have failed to give accurate information about where the incident took place, and, knowing that the search in December had been negative, they waited four weeks before repeating their message.
"That left police with the task of searching a wide area of countryside, but again we were frustrated by the inaccuracy of the information.
"This lack of regard for human live exposes the terrorists for the thugs and criminals they are. They offer our community nothing but a willingness to drag everyone back to the dark days of the past by using violence as a so-called political tool.
"They may want to live in the past - the rest of us have moved on and will not be joining them.
"I would call on all in our community who want to see a happier and more peaceful present and future to give us the information to detect and bring these criminals to justice," he said.
